Alpine Lodge

With the light wood paneling and dormer windows, the lodge feels somewhat European-alpine, but the view out the window is all Kiwi—wetlands, forest, and mountains. Accommodations run from hotel rooms and two-bedroom, self-contained apartments to backpacker dorms that include some private rooms. Although in the center of the village, the lodge is at the national park boundary, a short bushwalk away from Lake Rotoiti. A few two-bedroom apartments are good for families. The lodge bar and bistro restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a menu offering a good range of Kiwi fare—lamb shanks, steak, salmon, and they have a pizza oven.